Critical Thinking ?s #1

•What is the one thing you wish you had know before you start your inquiry process?

-I wish that before starting the inquiry process I would have known my learners. When I began the inquiry process I was gauging my knowledge on research and past experience. While these combined tools can be very powerful, each class has their own personality and perspective.

I am not sure that my process would have changed. However, I would be interested to have gathered a baseline on students participating in Daily 5 without a Critical Friend.

•What resources have you encountered that has contradicted your action research?

While "The Sisters" do not contradict my philosophy we have different philosophies. I see my most powerful teaching time with students to be during guided reading and the students' peers. I feel as though if I were to set their goal for them or with them each time their reflection would be too teacher guided rather than a motivation for the student. I also, am not ready to give up my guided reading time to meet with students in such a structured manner as "The CAFE" would suggest.

Student's Goals and Thoughts

Today as we started lining up for recess a student came up to me in a panic and said, "Mrs.Thomas I need to check in with my critical friend before going to recess. I need to tell her if I have met my goal." I thought it was interesting and exciting that even as we were lining up for recess this student was still conscious of the goal set with their critical friend.

Goals Set By...

Low average student: "I will work on word work today so that I can get better at spelling, reading and writing words."

Average student: "I will practice reading to someone today so I can practice my strategies when I get stuck and my partner can do 'Helpful Kangaroo'".

High student: "I will do read to self today so I can practice visualizing the story to help me understand it."

Most Daily 5 conversations...

"I did not meet my goal today because I forgot what my goal was."

"I met my goal today but not I need to practice reading the words I wrote."

"My read to self partner was a Helpful Kangaroo."

"I used Skippy Frog, Stretch Snake, and Flippy Dolphin today."

Click on this link to see visuals of what is posted under the "A for Accuracy" on our CAFE menu.

After Break

After the Holiday Break all students were given a new Critical Friend. I decided to pair students of different abilities. I placed high students with low-average students and low kids with high-average students. After two weeks of observation I have not noticed a significant difference in the way the students share their goals, execute their goals, and check back in.

Here are some of the goals students have been sharing:

Low Student- Read to someone, read to self, and word work to get better at my writing.

Average Student- My goal is to read to somebody to get better at reading so when I see the words I can know them right away.

High Student- Do all the Daily 5s to get better at reading, writing and spelling.

Quotes from last week!

When I asked students what made them a good critical friend here was some responses:

* I told the truth.
* I got better at speaking
* Listening while the other person talks.
* Taking turns.
* Asking clarifying questions.
* Talked quietly
* Listened

Here are some of the goals students set:

* If I get stuck on a word I am going to try Flippy Dolphin (change the vowel sound).
* I am going to do word work today so I can sound out words and read them.

Off The Wagon...

Wheels fell off the wagon of my action research the past 2 weeks. With Thanksgiving approaching and the hustle and bustle in the air I did now allow students the time to meet with their critical friend.



However, this ended up being a powerful piece of research. Through my observations my students who are of higher ability seemed to lack purpose and those of lower ability seemed easily distracted. These observations led me to this question: "Is it the relationship with the critical friend that is driving positive behavior and rigor during Daily 5 or is it the actual goal setting?"

What would be the next step to find an answer to this question? I think the kids could tell me. At the end of the upcoming week I am going to pose the "Why?" question to the students and have them verbally answer in regards to their critical friend.

Prezi

Mid-Action Summary

My analysis falls into 3 categories.

1. Student observation- Observing students set their goals with the CF has been a wonderful experience. Students are very intentional about asking clarifying questions. This 1 minute DAILY conversation (the students begged to meet with their CF everyday) has turned the room into a safe place of differences and community. Students have progressed to using our CAFE strategies bulletin board to set goal and areas I have suggested in a small group. Students spend more time on task the day when we write down our goal their goal. When students report after DAILY 5 they are very honest about their progress. One student said, "I am a better reader today because I stopped to check for understanding." His CF said, "How did you check for understanding?" These are the sort of conversations that tell me that students ability to reflect and understand their own ability is increasing.

2. Student rubrics- Students report in their survey (I have students complete a survey the last day of every week) that they enjoy meeting and talking to their CF. Some report that they need to get better at listening and asking clarifying questions. All students report that they are a good CF.

3. The teacher- I have learned to love CF's as part of our daily routine. Students love making the connection with other students and sharing the great progress they are making. I still have not found it necessary to change students' CFS.